


A Busy Bee

by SairenHaria



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, Spoilers, so many spoilers, spoilers for days
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-10-22 20:01:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10704105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SairenHaria/pseuds/SairenHaria
Summary: Sometimes where kindness and goodness can fall, pure, undaunted stubbornness can prevail.





	1. Chapter 1

Chloe Bourgeois is not a kind girl. She is not a good girl. She is not a selfless girl. But she was a stubborn girl and nothing, absolutely nothing, stood between her and what she wanted.

"Chloe, look out!" 

She shrieks as a laser blast from the sci fi geek of an Akuma. Before contact, forever, Chat has his arms wrapped around her, grunting at impact, but his suit keeping him no worse for wear. Except the shrill beeping suddenly fills the air.

"Ha! Now your true identity is mine, Chat Noir!" The Akuma shouted.

And for the first time, Chloe admitted admiration for the boy who had only seemed to be Ladybug's sidekick. He hadn't abandoned her after he used Cataclysm to free her and now his identity was going to be known. Even she knew that was no small sacrifice and it was for her sake? However, nothing prepared her for what came next.

Her eyes widened at the sight before her. "Adrien?"

There was fear in his eyes. It didn't matter how his expression was serious, confident, she had long since learned to see when he's scared or upset. And there was utter terror in his eyes.

"Chloe, you need to ru-" Adrien started.

"But I'm so close to my revenge!" The Akuma shouted. "No, Papillon, n-" And in familiar dark burst of energy, the nerd Chloe had made fun earlier was on the ground, dazed and confused.

Adrien looked over, confused, concerned, looking ready to comfort the victim, but Chloe didn't wait.

She grabbed his wrist and dragged him away. He yelped and protested for a minute, but finally quieted as Chloe dragged him as far as she could from any possible emergency or news or Ladybug themed response could get on the scene.

They're in an alley somewhere. She doesn't care. She didn't see people. That's all that mattered. "You're Chat Noir."

"...yeah," Adrien said, and for the first time, he lets the fear show on his face. "You're not going to tell anyone, are you?"

Chloe looked at him, and felt insulted. "Tell anyo-are you asking if I'M going to tell anyone? Adrikins, you do remember who you're talking to, aren't you? Are you really asking if I, of all people, would expose your secrets?!" She demanded, poking him hard in the chest as she spoke.

Adrien looked startled for a few moments, then a grateful smile spread across his face. "Right. Of course. Sorry, Chlo."

"You better be," Chloe sniffed. She paused. "God, I should have known. How did I not recognize that absolutely deplorable humor?"

"Because you're blinded by your obvious crush on Ladybug and were kind of jealous?" Adrien said with a smirk and a quirked eyebrow.

"Oh, shut up. I'm mad at you. You used to tell me about all your rebellions and this is your biggest one yet," Chloe said. "And all leather look? Really, Adrien? And what's with the belt tail?"

"I don't actually get to choose the outfit. That's-" 

"Cheese."

Chloe shrieked as a sudden black...THING popped out of Adrien's jacket.

"Right, sorry. This is Plagg. He's my kwami," Adrien said, pulling out a plastic baggy of cheese from his pocket. "He turns me into Chat Noir."

Plagg flew into the bag, starting to eat the cheese. 

"....and here I thought Nino's scent was literally rubbing off on you," Chloe said.

"Nino doesn't smell that bad," Adrien said flatly.

"I wouldn't know, I don't go near him," Chloe said with a dismissive handwave.

"Listen, girlie, you gonna freak out or not? Because if you're good, we got a few things we need to take care of," Plagg said, looking at Adrien pointedly before eating another chunk of cheese.

Adrien looked at the black thing, and there was that concern again. "Right. Yeah, right, we should..." He trailed off, looking uncertain. Then he shook his head and looked at Chloe. "You good?"

"Yeah, of course, when am I ever not good?" Chloe said. "...what about you?" She asked. A rare moment of sincere concern.

Adrien smiled at her. "Of course. I'm a supurrhero. I'm clawsome," he said with a wink. "Plagg, Claws Out," he called. And did a transformation routine.

"Oh my god, you are such a nerd," Chloe said with a shake of her head.

"Like you wouldn't do it too," Chat Noir said.

Chloe hummed. "You can't prove anything."

"Head home, okay? I got a few things to take care of," he said and before Chloe could protest, he was off.

She watched him go, her frown deepening. She didn't always know when Adrien lied to her. But when she did see the lie, she was always right. And she knew that was a lie.

It was the next day she knew something was wrong. Adrien showed up to class, but he refused to talk to her. He refused to talk to anyone. It continued for three days, to the point where even Nino went to her, asking if Adrien had ever done this before.

She told the truth. No, Adrien had never done this. Whatever this was, it was knew. When Nino asked if she knew what was wrong, she lied. Part of her wanted to tell Nino. For as much as she had no love for Nino, he helped Adrien greatly. But this wasn't a thing his 'best bro' could help with.

That night, Chat Noir appeared. But he wasn't the normal Chat Noir. Gone was the leather, replaced by a purple suit, along with fluffy ears and tail, looking more a Cheshire Cat than a black one, and he moved and jerked as if guided by puppet strings. The worst part was the mask. It was a full face one, made of what looked like porcelain. Broken and cracked.

Ladybug fought him, of course she did, but she couldn't find the item to break. The only obvious one was his ring and she didn't know what would happen. At least what Alya had gathered later. All Chloe cared about was getting to talk to Ladybug.

Unfortunately, Ladybug refused to come down when she called, telling her to go away.

By the third fight, Chloe stopped calling out and chose to follow Ladybug. If she could just find her civilian self, then she could stop her, tell her what she knew, get her to HELP ADRIEN-

She followed Ladybug to a massage parlor of all things. She tried to get in, but it was late, and the doors were locked, and by the time she had managed to pick the lock on the front door, Ladybug had exited the window. Chloe tried to follow, but the head start was too much.

Still.

Still, there was something there.

The next day, Chloe showed up, paid off the person who had an appointment and took their place.

"Now, just lie down and we'll begin treatm-you're not Monsieur Lefou," the old man said, looking at Chloe with surprise. Then an oddly thoughtful look.

"I bought his appointment from him," Chloe said with huff, crossing her arms, and leveling her best glare on the old man. "I know Ladybug was here last night."

"Ladybug? Oh, yes, there are many ladybugs," he said, stroking his chin.

"Not ladybugs, LADYBUG! The superhero. I know she was here last night after fighting Chat Noir," Chloe said, stepping forward. "Why? Are you able to help him?"

"What would an old man like me know about superheroes?" He asked with an amused chuckle.

"I don't know! But if Ladybug came HERE and it's not where she LIVES, then you have to. I know she cares about Chat Noir, she would put helping him on the top of her list!" Chloe said, throwing her hands up in the air.

"And why do you care, mademoiselle?"

Chloe was caught off guard a moment. "Well, he's a hero, he's helped saved all of Paris, why wouldn't I help?" She demanded.

"Mademoiselle Bourgeois, you never showed much care for Chat Noir before, why would you do so now?"

Chloe opened her mouth, froze. "I never told you my name."

"You didn't need to. You appear on the news quiet often!" The old man said with an amused chuckle.

Chloe's eyes narrowed. That was a lie, she knew it was, because the news didn't know her exact feelings on Chat Noir. Or what her feelings had been. She wondered how much this man knew. How could she see without giving too much away?

"....I met Plagg," she finally decided on.

"Plagg? What an interesting name," the man said, but there was such a mischievous look on his face, Chloe was positive. He knew! He knew who Plagg was!

Chloe growled. "Stop playing games! We have to save Chat Noir!"

"It's Ladybug's duty to save him," he pointed out.

Chloe stomped her foot. "She's fought him three times, and she can't figure out what his Akuma item is and she's not strong enough to always win forever! She's amazing, but Chat Noir is definitely more threatening than anyone else she's faced! If things continue like this, then they're going to destroy each other or something!" She shouted, feelings tears starting to prick in her eyes as she glared at the ground.

"You really do care for Adrien, don't you?"

Chloe froze, head snapping up in shock. She didn't answer.

"How far are you willing to go?" He asked instead.

"...." Chloe looked back down, one part wanting to bite back the words. It made her vulnerable, it showed too much. But if this man already knew it was Adrien, if he knew some way she could help... "I was always a brat," she said. Because she was. She knew it, even if she claimed otherwise to most people. "And he....he wasn't. But he wasn't a doormat, not for me. He said I was being a jerk and then he'd ask if I wanted to watch anime, that....that stupid nerd. He's better than I deserve. And he deserves more than what life gives him. When his mom disappeared, I swore I was going to give him what he deserved. Even if I had to burn the world to do it." She looked up, fire in her eyes because Adrien needed help and she was going to _help_ her oldest friend. "And now he needs to be saved and no one is going to stand in my way!"

"If you wish to help, then I believe I know a way," he said.

"Tell me," Chloe demanded.

He turned his back, moving to a stand to pick up a notepad and pen. "There are more Miraculous. One more in my possession. So long as a suitable host could be found. A person is meant to grow with the Miraculous. While traits for utilization of skills is important, it's good to not have a personality that's a 'perfect' fit. An obvious example is you don't give someone who loves destroying tings the black cat miraculous and expect them to remain on the path of a hero, but you also want a hero whose willing to destroy some things," he said and held out the paper to Chloe.

"What's this?" She asked, looking it over. 'Deceit. Able to make illusions.'

"That would be what you need to know about the Fox Miraculous," he said.

"Why not just give it to me?" Chloe demanded.

He raised a questioning eyebrow. "You fit a bit too much with 'deceit,' and you're not good with subtlety enough for illusions," he said simply. "If you wish to help Adrien, then find someone who fits."

Chloe looked at the paper. Just find someone? Which meant she wouldn't be able to help Adrien herself. She'd have to find someone else to do it.

"Unless you can't?"

"...is this my only choice?" Chloe asked sullenly.

"Unless you wish to wait for me to make the selection, but these old bones does make it quite hard to get out and study potential heroes," he said with a tired sigh.

Chloe clenched her fists. "Fine. I'll have someone by tomorrow!"

The old man chuckled. "If you say so. I'm willing to give you until the weekend."

"Tomorrow!" Chloe insisted, turning around, and storming out.

She didn't sleep that night. She wanted to call Sabrina, and get her to pour over possible candidates, but no. She'd then have to explain about Adrien and she wasn't going to reveal his secret. It'd be one thing if it was to Ladybug, but Sabrina definitely wasn't an exception.

The next day, she joined the group of people obviously not sleeping. Adrien was his usual dark and moody and probably some sort of dark magic controlled self. Nino looked like he hadn't been sleeping well either. And then there was Marinette.

Who was a complete and utter wreck.

Stupid girl and her stupid crush and stupid Adrien for encouraging her.

Still, it was touching she at least genuinely cared enough to lose sleep over it.

Alya was looking a bit bad too, but not quite as bad as the rest. Chloe wondered if she made sure she slept well to keep Nino and Marinette from falling over. It'd be a her thing to do. Always manipulating things in the background to get things to go her friend's way. For someone who got Akumatized for truth, she was incredibly sneaky.

Despite that, however, she had a strong sense of justice. She had encouraged a fire she hadn't seen in Marinette since their first year in class together. Made the girl shine like Chloe knew she could if she hadn't constantly beaten her down.

She was good at manipulating information too.

And remarkably calm in the face of danger.

It was in the middle of science when Chloe shouted "Mother fuc-" and was sent to the Principal's offense.

When she arrived at the parlor and paid off another customer, she had walked into the room and showed the old man, Fu if the shop was named after him she realized, a picture of Alya. "This girl. This is your fox."

To Chloe's satisfaction, Fu looked surprised. "Already?"

"I told you tomorrow," she said flatly.

"And you think....Alya would be a good fit? The writer of the Ladyblog?" He asked skeptically.

"It's perfect!" Chloe said, tossing the picture to the side. "She's got the perfect mentality for a hero, except the actually pay attention to danger part, but if she's using illusions, then it forces her to step back, right? Can't be in their face or it breaks the illusions, so growing. But she values the truth, but she knows how to manipulate information. If lies are going to be what helps people, she'll use it, but she won't abuse it."

"And that's all?" Fu asked.

"What, do you want me to write a paper on it? If it helps, I HATE Alya, she's always in my face and super rude, but she's perfect for the Fox Miraculous, I tried to think of all the reasons she wouldn't be, and the lack of proper danger sense is it, and if it saves Adrien, then FINE, I'll make all her stupid dreams come true," Chloe said with a scowl, crossing her arms, and trying to not pout.

There's a long moment where Fu just watches her and then he grins. "I was not sure on you, but that is why we have these tests," he said.

"What?" Chloe said, suddenly feeling like she understood absolutely nothing. 

"Please look out the window. You'll see," he said.

Chloe frowned, moving over to the window, scanning the area, trying to see...whatever. "I don't see anything."

"Not out there, but here," he said and he put something in her hand. She looked down, seeing a box with an odd design on it. "...are you going to make me give it to her too?" She asked, a whine entering her voice.

"Oh no, I have already delivered the Miraculous to Alya," Fu said with an amused chuckle.

"What?!" Chloe squawked. "If you already chose her, why did you have me look?!"

"Because Ladybug will need both of you to support her," he said.

Chloe froze, feeling absolutely gobsmacked. "What?" She breathed.

"Open the box," Fu said.

Chloe looked down, hesitated, then opened the box. She jerked back, lifting a hand to block out the yellow light. 

"Oh, she's so pretty!" A peppy voice cooed. 

Chloe lowered her hand, staring at the yellow thing before her. She stared, and slowly, realization dawned on her.

"Hello, my name is Pollen! I'm your kwami, my beautiful busy bee," the kwami cheered.

Adrien would get proof that Chloe would indeed do a magical girl transformation routine. Later on after many hard battles and he was finally saved.

But at the end of the day, when Chloe wanted something, come hell or high water, nothing would get in her way. And when it came to the people she cared about, she would burn the world for them.

But saving it was good too.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I don't have a set timeline for this, but I'm here for Chloe burn-the-world-for-her-friends Bourgeois. So I'm just going to write scenes when the mood hits me of Chloe on the timeline with her friendship with Adrien and when she has a Miraculous. You can also take the headcanon that Chloe made it so Adrien can go to school from my cold dead hands.

Chloe dumped the stack of papers on Adrien's coffee table along with a satchel of books.

"Um?" Adrien said, looking at them in confusion. "I thought you didn't have school for another two weeks?" Not that he would do her homework for her. He had long since seen through her ruses of 'help.'

Chloe scoffed. "No. Those are class descriptions for the electives you need to choose and your class schedule for the required ones and those books," she said.

Adrien stared, looking confused. "Class...schedule? Nathalie makes my schedule."

"Not anymore. You're enrolled in my school," Chloe said.

"I'm-you convinced my father?!" Adrien squawked, bolting upright.

"Of course not, that glacier is hard to convince of anything. The principal, less so," Chloe said. She may have to behave slightly better this year than last year in case the man realized she'd handed him a means to strong arm her back, but it was worth it.

"...Chloe, if he didn't approve, I can't," Adrien said, deflating and she could see the hope leaving his eyes. Making it all the more obvious how there were bags under them, which had been carefully hidden under make up for most of the day, but he hadn't had the will to reapply it. Chloe knew he hadn't been sleeping well. Knew that the fact his make up was wearing off at all was a sign.

He wasn't trying to hide form her anymore. He may not have made the conscious decision, but she was the person he trusted most now. The only one he dared to show how much he was suffering.

"I don't think a man who hasn't spent more than two hours with his son for the past six months has any say," Chloe said icily.

"Chloe, please, you know he's....he's not handling...it well," Adrien said, not meeting her eyes.

Gabriel wasn't the only one. But while that man got to throw himself in his work and took out his grief on his hapless workers, Adrien was locked in a cage, to deal with it all on his own save for Chloe who, while amazing, could admit she wasn't the best at this comfort thing.

At least Gabriel had distractions. Adrien was stuck in his own head and she could see how it was breaking him. She can't even remember the last time he made a stupid pun or geeked out about some new anime.

She can't remember when she last saw him really smile.

"...if you tell me you don't want to go, I'll drop it. But only if you tell me you don't WANT to go," Chloe said, staring at Adrien with her best 'I always get my way' face.

Adrien looked up at her, eyes wide, pleading, one of desperate hope. There is a long while of them both staring at each other, him obviously trying to find the will to say the words. She's almost worried he'll manage when he finally sighs. "You are such a hurricane," he murmured, sounding resigned.

And relieved.

"What are these electives?"

And maybe had the tiniest smile forming on his face.

Yeah, this was worth it.

~~~~

"I could tell Ladybug," Chloe said to Adrien's back after she closed the locker room door behind her. Chloe had ensured everyone on the fencing team was quick to leave, some with bribery, some with threats, but it was the best time to catch Adrien. She had ten minutes before the Gorilla would come looking for him and they were alone.

"Trying to catch me half dressed now, Chloe?" Adrien said dryly.

Chloe scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "I've SEEN Adrikins naked plenty. Childhood friend and models have to quick change for a lot of things."

"I am Adrien," Adrien, or rather the Thing pretending to be Adrien, said.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "It's kinda impressive you can stand saying it. Don't all you Akumas go 'I'm not so and so loser, I'm some stupidly dramatic, horrible pun of a name?'" She asked, waving her hands in the air.

Adrien growled, dropping his overshirt and turning to glare at Chloe. "How about you just fuck right off?" He demanded. "Why do you even bother? Can't you tell I don't like you? Why would I, you're spiteful and cruel, and I can do so much better than you!"

Chloe ignored the little bit of doubt, that part that's noticed Adrien drifting away, and waved dismissively. "No one can do better than me, I'm amazing."

"You. Are a brat," the not Adrien growled, stalking towards her. "A selfish brat who tears people apart for her own sadistic pleasure, whose tried time and again to drive my friends away."

"You've been doing that yourself awfully well lately," Chloe said haughtily and then squeaked as fakedrien slammed a hand on the door beside her head.

"I want nothing to do with you again, you disgusting, vile excuse of a human being," he said, voice low and dangerous.

Chloe felt her heart pound, but she glared right back. "I'll tell Ladybug."

He snorted. "Like she'd believe you. She barely tolerates you because it's the only way to save your pathetic life. Probably think you'd just want to show off your famous boyfriend."

Chloe ignored the sting because part of her knew it was true. She just hadn't wanted it to be.

But she didn't retort. She needed to find out something. If there was one thing Chloe was good at, it was finding out secrets.

"Leave," he said, lowering his hand and turning away from her.

"....Adrien doesn't lash out," Chloe said, again to his back. "Adrien would sooner put on a smile and destroy himself then hurt anyone. He would never be angry enough to fight Ladybug, no matter how bitter he was, he _wouldn't_ -"

"I don't think you know the first thing about me, brat," the imposter said, picking up the shirt as he shot a glare her way. Chloe caught a flash of yellow.

Chloe gritted her teeth, but slipped out of the locker room. Any further and she'd really be provoking the Akuma.

She was out the side entrance within the minute. "How is he?"

"Plagg is still with him. Papillon really hasn't taken the miraculous and he says he's not sure why, but he was lying," Pollen said from Chloe's ponytail. 

"What? Why?" Chloe asked.

"I don't know. Plagg is often evasive, but he always acts with his chosen's best interest at heart. For some reason, he feels it's better to hide that information," Pollen said.

"But that means the ring's clear?" Chloe asked.

"Yes. He says the Akuma is in a good luck charm given to him by a friend. He keeps it hidden in his clothes in both forms."

Chloe nodded. "Well, at least we know Papillon doesn't see me as a threat. Not going to hunt me down or anything," she said, trying to not pout. Honestly, she's kind of insulted. Did Papillon really think THAT little of her? Rude!

**Author's Note:**

> So this was more an idea of how in the world would Chloe quickly get selected for the Bee Miraculous and also wondering how in the world does a Civil War happen between Chat Noir and Ladybug. Then clearly the Civil War is the reason the Bee and Fox are selected and oh look, Chloe has a reason to do the good guy thing beyond ego.


End file.
